Tanzania to Host Eight-Team U19 Women's T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier

Eight national sides will meet in Dar es Salaam from 30 August for the ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier, with a single place at the 2027 tournament on offer. Tanzania host the event at the TCA Arena on the University of Dar es Salaam campus. It runs to 5 September. The winner joins South Africa as Africa's representatives.

Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe make up the field. The ICC has split them into two groups of four. Semi-finals and placement matches follow the group stage.

Eight teams, two groups

Group A holds Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda. Group B holds Kenya, Namibia, Rwanda and Zimbabwe. Every side plays three group matches. The knockout rounds follow.

• Group A: Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda
• Group B: Kenya, Namibia, Rwanda, Zimbabwe
• Dates: 30 August to 5 September 2026
• Venue: TCA Arena, University of Dar es Salaam

Nigeria named a 14-player squad on 25 August, captained by Christabel Chukwuonye, The Guardian reported. Uganda have been in camp. Zimbabwe and Namibia arrive from the stronger end of African age-group cricket.

A new ground fills its calendar

TCA Arena opened in July 2026. ICC Chairman Jay Shah inaugurated it on 3 August. The ground then staged the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Challenge League B from 8 to 18 August. This qualifier is its second international assignment inside a month.

Land was allocated in October 2024. Groundbreaking followed in April 2025. Construction ran to July 2026. The ICC has described the venue as a development hub as well as a match ground, with coach and umpire education among its stated functions.

Few associate venues turn over international fixtures at that rate in their first season. The scheduling load is the clearest measure of what the build was for.

The route to Bangladesh and Nepal

Bangladesh and Nepal host the U19 Women's T20 World Cup in 2027. South Africa have Africa's first place. The qualifier winner takes the second.

Justine Ligyalingi, the ICC Regional Development Manager for Africa, called the tournament "the final Africa qualification event on the pathway to the ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cup 2027". Tanzania Cricket Association chair Dr B.S. Sreekumar said "the growth of women's cricket across Africa is one of the most exciting developments in our game".

Africa's second slot

Seven of the eight sides here have no senior World Cup pedigree to fall back on. Age-group qualification is where their pathways are built and funded. A place in Bangladesh and Nepal reshapes a national programme's next two years.

The group stage begins on 30 August. Placement matches run alongside the semi-finals, so every side plays to the end of the week.